Special Programs

Special Programs

By Terry Hanley Friday, 03 April 2009

Round Rock

The Round Rock Express, Round Rock Partners in Education Foundation, Round Rock Chamber of Commerce and Round Rock Higher Education Center teamed up late last year with Voigt Elementary for a program aimed at encouraging academic excellence in students, the workforce of tomorrow, through partnerships between local businesses and schools.

The Meet Your Workforce of Tomorrow — Today program at Voigt Elementary began Dec. 17 and ended Jan. 20 with a science fair. Participants received a membership to the Round Rock Express Spike’s Kids Club, which consists of four tickets to five Round Rock Express games, a Kid’s Club Zone T-shirt, Fun Zone passes and an Express backpack.

“It’s a wonderful project for the kids,” said Gregg Miller, director of market development for the Round Rock Express. “It gets them more involved in what the school is trying to do. It aligns the school’s goals with community goals.”

Participating students had to complete a science project according to criteria set by each of their teachers. Voigt Elementary Principal Christene Nemetsky, who nominated her school for the pilot, said that student participation in the science fair was overwhelming compared to last year.

Nemetsky said 67 percent of Voigt Elementary students are economically disadvantaged.

“Most of our students have probably not ever seen a baseball game,” Nemetsky said. “To actually go and participate in something like that, this is huge. They will be able to take the whole family to go see games, and I think this is something they are going to remember for a lifetime.”

Pflugerville

Pflugerville ISD will launch a pilot program in the 2009-2010 school year at Caldwell Elementary to teach children to speak, read and write fluently in both Spanish and English. The Dual Language Enrichment, or DLE, program differs from other similar programs in its approach to bilingual instruction.

Classes in a two-way immersion DLE program are made up of approximately half English speakers and half Spanish speakers. The students will work on academic lessons in both languages.

Caldwell Elementary Principal Sonya Collins said her staff and the community indicated support for the program in a survey.

Justin Porter was hired in June 2008 as PISD’s director of bilingual education, English as a Second Language, or ESL, and Languages Other Than English instruction, or LOTE. He has had success starting DLE programs for other school districts in Texas.

“Caldwell Elementary is a great fit for the DLE pilot due to the tremendously positive response the Department of Bilingual, ESL and LOTE instruction received from the parents, community, and staff at Caldwell,” Porter said. “The campus leadership also recognizes the potential that DLE programs have to positively impact student achievement and is very supportive of the initiative.”

Spanish-speaking kindergarten students who qualify under state regulations as limited English proficient and whose parents have granted permission for their child to participate in bilingual education will automatically be enrolled in the DLE program. Students who are not limited in their English proficiency and whose parents wish to enroll them in the DLE program to gain Spanish proficiency will be admitted to the program on a first-come, first-served basis. Parent of these students are required to attend meetings and must commit to the program for their entire elementary career.

“Additionally, research indicates that English-dominant and Spanish-dominant children who participate in DLE programs far outperform their peers on nationally normed tests in English during their secondary school years,” Porter said.

“It is important that we have buy-in in order for this program to be successful,” Collins said. “We all will share efforts to make a positive difference for all students and parents who participate.”